Pickle slicing machine



y 1951 I. c MORGAN 2,554,918

PICKLE SLICING MACHINE Filed March 5, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fig. 3.

, Fig. 2. i m.

I11 z'eutor Ivan 0. Morgan y 9, 1951 l. c. MORGAN 2,554,918

PICKLE SLI-CING MACHINE 1 Filed March 5. 1947 4 Sheeis-Sheet 3 Fig.5.

36 I Inventor Ivan 0. Morgan May 29, 1951 1. c. MORGAN PICKLE SLICING MACHINE 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 5, 1947 I van C. Morgan Patented May 29, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE PICKLE SLICING MACHINE Ivan 0. Morgan, Lewiston, Idaho Application March 5, 1947, Serial No. 732,596

' 3 Claims. 1

The present invention pertains to novel and useful improvements in a pickle slicing machine and more specifically has reference to a vegetable, slicer for automatically feeding in succession .a plurality of vegetables through a series of stationary cutters, discarding the outside slices therefrom, and removing the sliced vegetables from the machine.

The principal object of this invention resides in providing an apparatus for automatically feeding vegetables into and through .a stationary slicing mechanism; in supplying the vegetables to the slicing means singly and in centered position; in providing an improved construction for completely severing the vegetable as it passes through the slicing means in a plurality of lengthwise extending parallel slices; and in providing an improved discharge means for separating the outside slices of the vegetable as it passes through the slicing means and discarding these outside slices as waste products.

Further important objects of the invention reside in providing a novel and efficient arrangement of the vegetable severing cutters; in providing an improved discharge means with a more efficient co-action with the slicing means for discharging the outside slices -of the vegetable; 3' providing an improved and convenient arrangement for removing the sliced vegetable from the machine.

Still another important object of the invention resides in providing an improved operating means for simultaneously actuating the feeding means and the sliced vegetable removing means from a single power source; and in providing a compact construction of slicing machine which is extremely portable; and in generally providing a device of the character set forth above which will be extremely efficient for the purposes intended.

These, together with various ancillary objects of'the invention which will later become "apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this invention, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated by way of example only in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the preferred embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 is an end elevational view taken from the left of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged detailed fragmentary view, in transverse elevation and section through a portion of the vegetable slicing and vegetable feedin means;

Figure 4 .is a fragmentary detail view, taken in V 2 vertical longitudinal section substantially upon the section line 4-4 of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail view taken in vertical transverse section substantially upon the section line 5-5 of Figure' l;

Figure 6 .is a horizontal sectional view taken upon the plane of the line 6-6 in Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially upon the line 1*! of Figure 1; and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary detail view, taken in longitudinal vertical section through the discharge end of the conveyer mechanism of Figure 1.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals ind-icate similar parts throughout the various views, It designates generally the supporting frame work of the invention which as shown is comprised of a plurality of vertical leg members I2 rising from laterally extending base members [4 provided with casters or the like it for conferring portability upon the device.

Rigidly secured between the leg members I 2 and above the members [4, is a horizontal platform or support lafor a purpose to be later set forth, and above this platform is rigidly secured a horizontally extending table or platform 2!}. The platform 28 is preferably formed as an open framework of horizontally extending beams and joints, while the'lower platform is preferably provided with a flooring 22 upon which is suitably mounted a power means such as an electric motor 24 which is coupled by suitable gearing, not shown, in the housing or casing 26 with a power shaft 28, Fig. 2, upon which is fixedly mounted a pair of driving pulleys 30 and 32.

Rising from the supporting table 20, is a super structure designated generally at 34 and consisting of a plurality of vertically extending columns or supports 35 rigidly secured together at their tops by laterally extending through bolts 38 having fastening nuts 46. A pair of longitudinally extending frame members 42 are supported upon the transverse bolts 38, being supported centrally thereon by spacing sleeves 144.

As will be noted by reference more particularly to Figures 1 and 4, the supporting members :42 are inclined downwardly towards the rear thereof, in order to better-position the cutters for cooperation with the vegetable feeding means in a manner to be subsequently set forth.

As will be seen best by particular reference to Figure 1,3 and :4, the cutting means for slicing the vegetables in accordance with the invention consists of a plurality of downwardly and rear! wardly extending knives stationarily mounted between the frame members 42 and arranged in general echelon formation. A plurality of longitudinally extending divider plates 46 are positioned between and disposed parallel to the members 42, and receive therebetween a plurality of knife cutter members 48. A plurality of through bolts 50 extend transversely through the members 42, 46 and 48, these elements being rigidly locked into a solid frame work by means of nuts 52. By particular reference to Figure 6, it will be seen that the two outside knives 48 are positioned forwardly or at the front of the slicer frame, the next two inwardly adjacent knives being positioned rearwardly thereof, in the next inwardly positioned pair of knives, and so on, until the most central knife or knives are posi- 4 upon each side of the wheel rim 54 but slightly spaced therefrom to provide a channel through which the regularly extended lugs 68 may travel. It is contemplated that pickles or other vegetables may be positioned by hand, or by a conveyor or discharge chute, not shown, upon the exterior surface of the guard shield 12 and over the groove thereof, whereby the rotating lugs 68 will singly engage a pickle or vegetable and carry the same through the slicing mechanism.

It will be readily understood that in some instances the guard shield 12 may be dispensed with, and the articles to be sliced may be directly deposited in suitably formed pockets or deprestioned rearwardly of the foregoing knives, to provide a generally V-shaped or echelon arrangement of cutting elements. Moreover, as shown in Figure 4, it will be seen that the knives become progressively longer as they are positioned further along the legs of the v toward the apex thereof.

In order to maintain the knives in a rigid relation, it will be seen from Figure 4 that each knife or set of parallel disposed knives are retained in their supporting frame by a pair of the transversely extending through bolts 50. If desired, suitable adjusting means may be provided for varying the angular inclination, and the longitudinally extended position of the knives relative to their supporting frame work.

Attention is next directed to the pickle or vegetable feeding means which as shown in Figure 1 consists of a circular wheel or drum-like member having a rim 54 joined to a central hub 56 as by a plurality of spokes 58. The axle 66 of the wheel is journaled in a pair of laterally extending support brackets or journals 62 suitably secured to a pair of the vertical support members 36, the axle being positioned substantially intermediate the height or length of these members and arranged transversely thereof.

Fixedly attached to an extremity of the axle 60 is a double grooved driven pulley 64 connected as by a pair of V type belts 66 with the above mentioned driving pulley 32, which is likewise of a double groove V type construction. At suitable circumferentially spaced intervals about the periphery of the rim 54, are provided radial extensions 6B which are appropriately spaced to form pockets upon the rim of the wheel, of suitable size to position a pickle or other vegetable therein. As shown more clearly in Figures 3 and 6, the circumference of the rim 54 is longitudinally grooved as at 10, these grooves being positioned to align with the above mentioned slicing knives 48, the arrangement being such that as the wheel rotates, the cutting knives extend within the grooves.

It will thus be seen that as vegetables are placed in the pockets between the radial lugs or extensions 68, and the wheel rotated, the vegetables are caused to pass between the outer circumference of the wheel and the lower surface of the knives, and through the cutting knives, whereby the same will be sliced longitudinally during their travel, the slices being discharged by dropping off the wheel during the continued rotation of the latter.

As shown best in Figures 1 and 6, a pair of shields or guard members 12 are secured to the upper portion of the laterally spaced front sup-- port legs l2, and to the support standardsjB,

sions in the outer rim circumference of the wheel member 54.

Since it usually happens that in slicing vegetables the outer slices which constitute or include the rind or peel or skin of the vegetable are undesirable and of little utility, it is usually preferable to discard these outer slices. For this urpose, in accordance with the dictates of this invention, discharge chutes 14 are provided at each side of the device, these chutes being downwardly and outwardly inclined and supported at their upper and lower ends as by braces 16 and 18 respectively upon the vertical support members 36. The lower ends of these chutes may discharge in any suitable manner to a waste receptacle, while the upper ends thereof extend into a recess portion in the sides of the rim 54, as indicated at in Figure 3, in which position they underlie and extend to the inner side of the outer pair of cutting knives 48. It will thus be seen that as the vegetable is passed through the knife assembly, the outer slices, severed by the outer pair of knives which are most forwardly dis posed upon the knife assembly frame, drop upon the chutes 14 and are discarded thereby. The rest of the vegetable or pickle, remaining untouched by the two outer and forward knives, passes in succession between the rest of the knife assembly, and is severed in lengthwise slices thereby, then emerging from the rear end of the knife assembly and being eventually discarded or dropped from the rotating rim 54. It should be here noted that during the entire travel of the vegetable from the time it is placed in the device to be picked up by one of the lugs 68, it remains in its pocket between two adjacent lugs, and is generally longitudinally centered upon the peripheral rim of the wheel by means of the longitudinal ribs or grooves 10. After the vegetable has been sliced, it still remains in its pocket until the continued rotation of the wheel drops or dis-'. charges the slices downwardly therefrom.

Attention is now directed more specifically to Figures: 1, 2 and '7, wherein has been shown a convenient type of conveyor means which may be employed for removing the sliced vegetables from the machine. It will be understood that any suitable type of conveyor may be employed, and in some instances a conveyor may be entirely dispensed with, the sliced vegetable being merely dropped into a chute or directly into a container as desired. However, it is deemed to be preferable to provide a belt type of conveyor, consisting of a horizontally disposed belt or endless conveyor 82 which is entrained over a pair of laterally disposed rollers 84 at each end of the machine, these rollers being mounted in support brackets 86 secured to the undersurfaces of the horizontal support frame member 20. One of these rollers is provided with a drive pulley 88 and a suitable 75 belt 90 is entrained over the pulleys 88 and 28,

table feeding wheel from the common driving means 24 and 26.

As will readily be understood, the sliced vegetables discharged by the mechanism are deposited upon the conveyor system 82, and delivered t any desired destination.

It will be readily understood that although the preferred use of this machine is for automatically feeding 1 pickles singly and in centered position into the slicing mechanism, discharging the outside rind slices thereof and delivering the longitudinally sliced pickles upon a delivery conveyor, that by; proper changes in the proportions of parts, without altering the principles of the invention, various other vegetables may be likewise sliced.

For example, various knives might be omitted for slicing various widths of cuts, or a single knife might be employed for halving an article, which could further be severed by repeated passages through the knife.

Since "various modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art in view of the foregoing explanation and accompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, but all suitable modifications may be resorted to falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A vegetable slicing machine comprising a frame, a feeding drum rotatably journaled on said frame, said drum having laterally spaced peripheral grooves therein, vegetable receiving lugs on the periphery of said drum, a first set of outer knives inclined downwardly in the direction of rotation of said drum and overlying the sides of said drum for cutting the outer slices from articles carried by said drum, a second set of inner knives attached to said frame and extending into said grooves, said drum having annular recesses on opposite sides thereof, a pair of discharge chutes attached to said frame on opposite sides thereof and extending below and inside said outer knives into said recesses for discarding the outer slices as they are severed from the article.

2. A vegetable slicing machine comprising a frame, a feeding drum having radially disposed vegetable receiving lugs rotatably journaled on said frame, said drum and lugs having laterally spaced peripheral grooves therein, a first set of outer knives inclined downwardly in the direction of rotation of said drum for cutting the outer slices from articles carried by said drum, said drum having annular recesses on opposite sides thereof, a pair of discharge chutes disposed on said frame and extending below and inside said outer knives into said recesses for discarding the outer slices, a guide attached to said frame and overlying said drum, said guide including an upper wall having an arcuate contour complementary to said drum for retaining articles in engagement therewith, downwardly depending side walls on said guide overlying said outer knives for guiding the articles laterally of said drum during the cutting thereof and directing said outer slices into said chutes, said upper wall of said guide having slots therein, an inner set of cutting blades attached to said frame and extending through said slots, said upper wall of said guide having an upwardly rolled portion at its forward end for directing the articles into said guide.

3. The combination of claim 2 including a pair of vegetable supporting shields carried by said frame forwardly of said guide and overlying said drum, said shields being spaced to provide a channel through which said lugs travel, said shields having inwardly extending flanges thereon for guiding the articles to said guide.

IVAN C. MORGAN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Dec. 10, 1902 

